Approved IAR CE Courses

For many financial advisors, compliance can feel like a regulatory box to check in order to offer financial advice. But at its core, regulation is designed to protect consumers, and when the intent behind the rules is understood, it becomes easier to follow them effectively. In this session, Chief Financial Planning Nerd Michael Kitces is joined by compliance experts Terria Heng, Emil Ali, and Leila Shaver to discuss the latest developments in compliance, what RIAs need to keep in mind as they seek to create a positive culture of compliance, develop and operate within their compliance policies and procedures, and what to watch out for to minimize the risk of audit deficiencies when compliance reviews inevitably come.

For many financial advisors, compliance can feel like a regulatory box to check in order to offer financial advice. But at its core, regulation is designed to protect consumers, and when the intent behind the rules is understood, it becomes easier to follow them effectively. In this session, Chief Financial Planning Nerd Michael Kitces is joined by compliance experts Terria Heng, Emil Ali, and Leila Shaver to discuss the latest developments in compliance, what RIAs need to keep in mind as they seek to create a positive culture of compliance, develop and operate within their compliance policies and procedures, and what to watch out for to minimize the risk of audit deficiencies when compliance reviews inevitably come.

Employee stock options can be a powerful part of a client's compensation package, yet they often introduce concentration risk, unexpected tax consequences, and a higher likelihood of triggering alternative minimum tax. In this session, Daniel Zajac explains the full lifecycle of incentive stock options (ISOs), from grant to disposition, with an emphasis on how to identify tax opportunities, mitigate risks like single stock concentration and AMT exposure, and develop strategies that align with client cash flow needs and long-term goals. Participants will leave with actionable frameworks for advising clients on ISO planning and integrating stock compensation into a client's broader financial plan.

Appreciated assets can be both the foundation for wealth and the source of significant tax liability that must be addressed. However, addressing the potential tax impact of these appreciated assets can be a sore spot for clients, often leading them to hold onto assets to their disadvantage or make hasty decisions without considering the various options for addressing capital gains in their portfolio. In this webinar, Tim Steffen, CPA/PFS, CFP', CPWA', delves into the mechanics of capital gains taxation and explores actionable strategies that financial advisors can use to thoughtfully manage their clients' capital gain taxes, considering their clients' objectives and needs. Advanced capital gains management strategies such as custom indexing, Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds, exchange funds, and 351 exchanges will be discussed.

In this continuing education session, learners will review 2 Nerd’s Eye View blog articles: 3 Strategies To Optimize Incentive Stock Options Planning And Address AMT and Using Exchange Funds To Diversify Concentrated Securities (And When It’s Better To Sell Instead).

In the first article, Daniel Zajac details how Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) work, why they create unique tax challenges, and how advisors can strategically guide clients through timing, selling, and AMT-credit planning. In the second article, Ben Henry-Moreland examines how exchange funds can help clients diversify highly appreciated concentrated stock positions while deferring capital gains taxes and explains the tax rules that make these strategies possible.

Retirement planning does not end when a client leaves the workforce. Retirees continue to face important financial challenges related to income stability, healthcare costs, risk management, long-term care needs, and the possibility of outliving retirement savings.

This course examines key challenges to the financial security of retirees and reviews strategies for distributing retirement savings to help provide income for a lifetime. Participants will explore post-retirement planning needs, risk management considerations, and planning issues connected to illness, injury, long-term care, uninsured death, and longevity risk.

Major Topics:

Financial challenges facing retirees.

Post-retirement planning needs.

Retirement savings distribution strategies.

Lifetime income planning.

Risk management for illness and injury.

Long-term care and uninsured death risks.

Longevity risk and income sustainability.

By focusing on practical retirement income and risk planning concerns, this course helps professionals identify financial vulnerabilities that may affect retirees and evaluate strategies that support long-term financial preparedness. Attendees will gain useful insight into helping retirees manage resources, protect income, and plan more confidently for later-life financial needs.

Managing IAR Conflicts Effectively is a practical, regulatory-focused course designed for Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs) who must navigate real-world conflicts of interest while upholding ethical and fiduciary standards. This course explores how compensation structures, product recommendations, and firm affiliations can create ethical dilemmas - and what IARs must do to disclose and mitigate these conflicts. Learners will gain a working knowledge of SEC expectations, Form ADV and Form CRS disclosure requirements, and supervisory best practices. Engaging examples and scenario-based reflections support the development of sound judgment and effective communication strategies. This course reinforces the importance of transparency, documentation, and ethical conduct in today's advisory landscape.

This course explores the compliance risks investment adviser representatives (IARs) face when using personal devices or communication channels not approved by their firm. It explains how regulatory requirements apply to everyday client interactions and shows how unapproved messaging can create recordkeeping failures, fiduciary duty concerns, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Through real-world enforcement examples and practical scenarios, IARs will learn strategies to keep communications compliant, protect client information, and strengthen professional integrity in today's remote and technology-driven work environment.

This course covers business management for the state-registered investment adviser. It is divided into four sections and discusses business filings and records, compliance and registration functions supporting the business, business management and operations, and a summary of the resources available to investment advisers.

This month we review the March Blog articles in two quizzes. This quiz includes the following articles: The Impact Of New IRS Proposed Regulations On The SECURE Act: RMDs, Eligible Designated Beneficiaries, Trusts, And More! and Strategies For Maximizing (Or Minimizing!) Rule 72(t) Early Distribution Payments Using IRS Notice 2022-6.